On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to take this opportunity to update you about what is going on in Hawthorne and communicate several HOA directives for 2014. The Hawthorne Homeowners Association (HOA) Board of Directors recently held our meeting in January 2014. During this meeting we voted on our annual neighborhood activities, discussed neighborhood improvement plans, as well as establishing our annual budget. Below is a summary of our 2014 plans and annual directives:

• Annual dues will be increased from $135 to $165 for 2013. The main reason for the increase is due to our recent neighborhood annexation which will place additional maintenance cost burden back on the neighborhood. We are continuing to offer payment through check or PayPal. Please visit the Hawthorne website at http://hawthorne-omaha.com and click on the PayPal icon through the Annual Dues link to pay through via this method. Please make payments by March 7, 2014. All properties with delinquent 2013 (12 month outstanding) dues are subject to liens as of May 1, 2014.

• Common Area Maintenance - The HOA is responsible for all common areas including watering, sprinkler repair, lighting repair, boulevard maintenance, and park maintenance in Hawthorne. The SID maintenance contract expired in 2013 for all mowing and fertilizing. At this time we will be responsible for 100% of these costs. Historical total cost of maintenance has ranged between $25,000 and $40,000. We will be sending out an RFP this spring to all interested parties who would like to respond.

• Theft and Vandalism - Destruction of property and theft has been a recurring challenge in Hawthorne. We have seen graffiti, front entrance vandalism, park destruction, vehicle and home vandalism. We are committedto keeping Hawthorne a safe place to live. The HOA offers a $500 cash reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone caught vandalizing public or private property in Hawthorne. We will prosecute those involved. Don’t hesitate to call 911 about any suspicious activity in our neighborhood and especially in the park (park closes at 10pm each night). We are open to any suggestions to improve the safety of our neighborhood.

• Covenant issues - There will be a couple priorities this year with covenant issues. 1) Trees in the parking area are the responsibility of the homeowner. If your property has lost a tree in the parking area due any circumstance, we ask you to replace it this spring. You will be notified by letter if your propertyis subject to needing an additional tree(s). There is a minimmum requirement of size. A replacement tree must have a minimum diameter of 2 inches and be at least 8 feet tall. Secondly, Boats, Motor Homes, Snow Plows, Trailers and project vehicles cannot be stored on any property or street at any time.

• Roofing Materials - The 2013 storms damaged many roofs in Hawthorne. Please be cognizant of the mandatory roofing materials. Covenants state that the roof can be replaced with replacement cedar wood shakes OR Certainteed Presidential Tri-Laminate (TL or IR) composite shingles. Required colors are either weathered wood or classic weathered wood. In addition, if you are considering any major landscaping or structural changes to your home please be sure to submit your plans to the HOA to avoid any costly revision issues that can arise from unapproved modifications to your property. Please be sure to verify all covenant issues before you start your project.

• Social Activities – This year will be filled with activities in our neighborhood.We will be hosting several events including movie nights, Easter egg hunt, July 4th parade, Toast of the Trees, Garage Sales, etc. Everyone is welcome to participate. Watch for details. If you would like to assist in these events or have additional ideas please contact a HOA board member.

• Communication - Most of our communication is sent via email. Please update your email and profile on the website in order to continue to receive important information about issues and events in our neighborhood. Please go to www.hawthorne-omaha.com.

o If you have never set up an account, click "Register" in upper left corner. Fill in the amount of information that you want available to your neighbors. This is a password protected website so the information is only available to Hawthorne residents. Your login details will be emailed to the email address you provide once your account is approved by the administrator.

o If you already have an account set up, click "Login", then click on "Your Profile" to update your email address and other profile details.

• Entrances - We will continue to update and landscape the entrances into Hawthorne. As trees die and the landscape becomes tired, we will contract to keep these entrances as attractive as possible to enhance the value of our neighborhood. We understand that there have been a number of concerns around the lighting issues. We are currently working on upgrading the system and this should be finished by spring.

Frequently Asked Questions - The HOA website (http://hawthorne-omaha.com) serves as a great resource to communicate any question, issue or concern to the Board. Whether it’s a neighbor complaint, covenant issue, or general question, please reach out and communicate any time. The questions/comments are kept confidential.

The mission of the Hawthorne HOA is to enhance property values and improve our neighborhood community. Please consider volunteering and getting involved on the Board or the social committee. The annual meeting will be held in May. Details on the time and date will be coming out shortly. We look forward to 2014, warmer weather and gettting outside.

New Roofing Material Approved

Posted on Aug 1st, 2013

Many Hawthorne residents are considering replacing their roofs due to recent storm damage. Please note that as of November 2010, a covenant amendment was made to the Hawthorne subdivision protective covenants to allow an additional material as an option in Hawthorne. Click below for more detailed information.

Toast of the Trees is a progressive holiday party. It’s a great way to celebrate the season with new and old neighbors. Hawthorne residents will begin the evening at a host home to enjoy appetizers, beverages, and great company. After about an hour at each home, you will “toast“ the host’s Christmas tree and move on to additional host homes to mix with other neighbors. Everyone will be brought back together to one final home at the end of the evening.

If interested in being a host home this year, please click on the "contact us" tab on the left side of this page.